Drum washer



Nov. 3, 1925.

C. M. ROGERS DRUM WASHER Filed April 5, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I iiiHllllllll llll Nov. 3 1925. -1,560,112

c. M. ROGERS DRUII WASHER Filed April, 1 21 3 Shoots-Shoot 3 PatentedNov. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAINGY M. ROGERS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. INDUSTRIALALCOHOL 00., A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

DRUM WASHER.

Application filed April 5, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Quincy M. Rename,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the city ofBaltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Drum Washers, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates particularly to machines for washing the interiorsof drums but'it has relation to the washing of containers generally,such, for example, as barrels, etc.

The object of my invention is to provide an effective washing machinefor washing the interiors of containers of all kinds, especially drums,so that the washing operation may be carried out quickly and with aminimum amount of labor. A further object is to provide a machine ofthis character which does not have a high cost.

Previously drum washing machines have been made in which it wasnecessary to roll the drum into the machine above the level of the floorand the cradle or receiving element of the machine was co-axial with thedriving shaft of the machine but so arranged that the receiving elementcould be thereafter tilted for the washing operation. l/Vith such aconstruction it was necessary to restore again the co-axial position ofthe receiving element and the driving shaft before the drum can beremoved from the machine at the termination of the washing operation.Furthermore, in such machines there were heavy parts requiring manualoperation in addition to the tiltable receiving element.

The object of my invention is therefore to pzrwide a drum washerin'which it is not necessary to elevate the drum to place it in themachine, the receiving element thereof is horizontal and on a level withthe floor w en the drum is placed inthe machine but i aiiged so that thedrum is not co-a-Xial with the driving shaft of the machine when placedin the same. A further object is to a void the necessity of movingmanually any heavy parts, thus avoiding loss of time and unnecessarylabor. Again, a further object is to provide a pit for the machinesothat it may rotate therein but which islocated so the machine mayreceive and discharge the drum on a level with the floor when themachine is started and stopped, the machine be-,

Serial No. 458,777.

ing provided with an adjustable apron to bridge the gap over the pit toenable this to be accomplished. Still another object is to i arrange thecontrol in such a way as to make the operation of the machine safe.Further objects of my invention will be seen from the followingdescription thereof.

My invention may be embodied in many didercnt forms but I have shown onlone form of the same in the accompanying rawings in which Figure 1 is aplan view of a drum washer made in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; 7

Figure 3 1s a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of port a driving sliaftb having loosely carried thereon adriving pulley 7 adapted to be driven from any suitable source of power.Associated with the pulley 7 there is a friction-clutch 8 arranged to becontrolled by a hand-lever 9 supported by a bracket 10 from the bearingframe 4. Upon the shaft (5 there is secured a small gear 11 which mesheswitha large gear 12 on a drum driving shaft 13 supported in the frames 4and 5. The shaft 13 extends over the pit 2 and carries upon this end ofthe same a segment 14. The segment 14 is secured to a semicircularhousing. 15 having strengthening beams 16 at its edges and at the otherend of the housing 15 there is similarly secured thereto a segment 17having a heavy extension 18 to act as a counterbalance for the segments14 and 17 and the housing 15. The segments 14 and 17 together withthehousing 15 form a cradle or receiving eleby a shaft 19 from the bearingframe 3. As shown in Figure 1, on the cradle there is provided a bail 21which is comprised cit an arm 22 pivoted to the segment 14, a cross beam23 and an arm 24 pivoted to the segment 17, which is provided at one endthereof with a counterbalance 2:3 to balance the weight of the bail andthus enable it to be operated with a minimum amount of labor. Upon thebeam 23 there is furthermore provided a screwclainp 26 having on itsinner end a wooden block 27 for engagement with the side of the drum andon its upper end a hand-wheel for operating the same. In order tointroduce the drum into the cradle and remove the drum therefrom Ihaveprovided a pivoted apron 29 supported upon hinges 30 and 31 at the edgeof the pit 2. In order to hold a drum 20, having the usual peripheralprojections 20 and a filling opening 26 the free edge of the apron 29may have two notches 29 in order to provide spaces for the circularprojections 20 upon the drum. This apron 29, furthermore, has ahand-operating-lever 32 and a counterbalance 33 which is notsutficiently heavy, however, to prevent the apron 29 from normallyoccupying of its own accord a position as shown in dotted lines inFigure 3 while the cradle containing the drum is being rotated.

In the operation oi my invention, when a drum is to be inserted into themachine a quantity of any desired cleansing liquid is inserted into thedrum through the filling opening 20 which is then closed. The cradle isnow brought to rest in a position in which the lower free edge thereotis on a level with the floor and the free edge of the apron 29 is theninserted into he cradle so that the free edge sl 'htly over lower edgeof the cradle. This is plished by the manipulation oi. the 9 and 32which are located in pro: to each other so that they can be opersimultaneously by one man. In th s tien of the parts, the counterwei-gihave moved the bail 21 into a subsi vertical position. The drum rolledinto the cradle with ing to the fact that the lower edge of the cradleis on a level with the i'ioor. Thereupon the bail 21 is moved in front01" the projecting portion of the drum 20 and the drum is securedtightly in the cradle by clamping the woo-den block 27 against the samethrough the operation of the handwhcel The cradle carrying the drum 20is rotated now by operating the clutch-lever 9, the apron 29 beingsimultaneously in vet out of the path of the cradle by the operation ofthe hand-lever 32. Even if the hand-lever were not operated in thismanner, however, the rotating cradle would automatically move the apron29 out of its path in the first revolution of the cradle. Inasmuch asthe drum 20 is not coaxial with the cradle, but is supported on arotating axis passing through diagonally 0pposite points on the extremeouter edges 01 the two ends of the drum, the rotation of the cradle withthe drum therein will give the drum a most eii'ective washing because oithe movement of the liquid back and forth within the drum during itsrotation. The rotation of the drum is continued in this manner until theliquid contents have been taken, up and any solids adhering to theinterior or the drum have been loosened by the'washing liquid.v Thecradle is then brought-to rest in the same position which the cradleoccupied at the beginning of the washing operation, the free edge of theapron is inserted over the lower edge of the cradle, the bail 21 isreleased and the drum 20 is rolled out of the machine on to the floor.The washing liquid and materials removed thereby may be removed from thedrum through the opening 29* and the drum is ready to receive anydesired kind of material for shipment. The machine is now ready toreceive another drum in the same manner for washing the interior of thesame. In this way the drums, to be cleansed may be washed in quicksuccession and with a i'ninimum amount of labor.

lVhile I have described my invention above in detail it is to beunderstood that many changes may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of the same as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, and a rotatable cache, for receiving areceptacle, so positioned that the cradle is not coaxial with therotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portionon a level with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same 2.In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism. a receiving floor, and a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, so positioned that the cradle is not co-axial with therotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portionon a level with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same,said floor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of thecradle.

3. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination oit'a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, and a rotatable cradle. for re ceivin areceptacle, so positioned that the cradle is not co-axial with therotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portionon a level with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same,said floor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of thecradle, and an apron to lltl bridge the gap at the edge of the pit whenthe receptacle is being introduced into or removed from the cradle.

4. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, and a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, so positioned that the cradle is not co-axial with therotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portionon a level with the door in one position in the rotation of the same,said floor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of thecradle and a pivoted counterweighted apron to bridge the gap at the edgeor the pit when the recep acle is being introduced into or removed fromthe cradle.

5. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotaingmechanism, a receiving floor, and a rotatable cradle, for re ceiving areceptacle, so positioned that the cradle is not co-exial with therotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portionon a level with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same,said floor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of thecradle and a pivoted counterweighted, hand-lever-operated apron tobridge the gap at the edge of the pit when the receptacle is beingintroduced into or removed from the cradle.

6. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receptacle receiving element and a pivoted clamping bailfor holding the receptacle therein, said bail having a counterweight.

7 In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receptacle receiving element arranged to hold thereceptacle in a position not co-axial with the rotating mechanism and apivoted clamping bail for holding the receptacle therein, said bailhaving a hand-operated clamp.

8. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portion on alevel with the floor in one position in the rotation oi the same, saidfloor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of the cradleand an apron to bridge the gap at the edge of the pit when thereceptacle is being intro duced into or removed from the cradle.

9. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, said cradle being horizon-- tal and its lower portion on alevel with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same, saidfloor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of the cradleand a pivoted counterweighted apron to bridge the gap at the edge of thepit when the receptacle is being introduced into or removed from thecradle. I

10. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portion on alevel with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same, saidfloor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of the cradleand a pivoted counterweighted, hand-lever-operated apron to bridge thegap at the edge of the pit when the receptacle is being introduced intoor removed from the cradle. 11. In a receptacle washing machine, thecombination of a rotating mechanism, a receiving floor, rotatablecradle, for receiving a receptacle, so positioned that the cradle is notcoaxial with the rotating mechanism, said cradle being horizontal andits lower portion on a level with the floor in one position in therotation of the same, said floor having a pit to provide clearance inthe rotation of the cradle, a pivoted countel-weighted,hand-lever-operated apron to bridge the gap at the edge 01" the pit whenthe receptacle is being introduced into or removed from the cradle and aclutch controlling the rotating mechanism having a hand-lever locatedadjacent to the apronoperating lever.

12. In a receptacle washing machine, the combination of a rotatingmechanism, a receiving floor, a rotatable cradle, for receiving areceptacle, said cradle being horizontal and its lower portion on alevel with the floor in one position in the rotation of the same, saidfloor having a pit to provide clearance in the rotation of the cradle, a

pivoted counter-weighted, hand-lever-open ated apron to bridge the gapbetween the receptacle and the edge of the pit and a clutch controllingthe rotating mechanism having a hand-lever located adjacent to theapron-operating lever.

13. In a drum washing machine, the combination of a rotating mechanismand a rotatable cradle comprising segments mounted on .the latter atacute angles to the axis of rotation 01 the cradle and connectedtogether with a semi-cylindrical housing.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 26th day of January, 1921.

GLANCY M. ROGERS.

